From the Revd John Penny
Sir, — The Arthur Rank Centre is to be congratulated on highlighting the “extreme clergy stress” experienced in rural areas. (News, 11 November.)
While ministering in several multi-parish benefices, as incumbent, retired priest, and thenrural dean, I learnt first-hand that grant applications and correspondence with the diocesan advisory committee can defeat even the most competent of PCC secretaries.
Many rural parishes lack people with the skills needed for church repairs and finance. Frequently, parishioners are elderly, have no computer, and are bewildered by complicated and sophisticated forms. This can land the incumbent with insurmountable quantities of paperwork.
Diocesan secretaries and archdeacons who are sensitive to the needs of poorly resourced rural benefices go out of their way to assist PCCs with repairs and fin-ance. But their time and energy is limited.
It was suggested three years ago in our deanery that a register of skilled and experienced retired women and men be formed in each diocese. These people could assist parishes and their incumbents with applications for repairs and grants. A senior cleric supported the idea as the only way forward for poorly resourced rural areas.
The needs of rural benefices are rarely apparent to clergy who have ministered in a single-church town parish with highly skilled laity. Training is certainly needed if they plan to move to a multi-parish benefice.
But training alone is not enough. No amount of preparation will enable incumbents to minister joyfully and fruitfully in rural areas, if mission and pastoral care are squeezed out by administration.
JOHN PENNY
33 Church Drove, Outwell
Wisbech PE14 8RH
From Mr Nigel Holmes
Sir, — The report from the Arthur Rank Centre is welcome in drawing attention to the need for a radical reappraisal of rural ministry. Boldness and risk-taking are required if “extreme clergy stress” is to be relieved. Without creative change, the parochial system as we know it could fail in rural areas within the next ten years, given that stipendiary clergy numbers will fall by a further quarter. By 2020, there will be virtually half the number there were in 1995.
Two changes are urgently required. The report highlights the under-use of the laity, which endorses a finding of the Reader Review Group (GS 1689) three years ago. The answer, surely, is for Readers of proven ability and experience to be ordained as priests without Ministry Division involvement or further training, as already is the case for distinctive or permanent deacons who move to the priesthood.
This was the view of the Tiller report a generation ago, when providing eucharistic services was much less of a problem.
The other key action must be to close buildings. They absorb both money and manpower, both of which we can ill-afford if mission is, as our leaders keep telling us, our prime objective. In this rural area, we have four churches within one mile, two Anglican, one Methodist, and a Roman Catholic Pugin gem. The largest would easily accommo-date all who worship on a typical Sunday.
Leadership from dioceses and Methodist districts is imperative if we are to effect wise change and re-group for the inevitably tough times ahead.
NIGEL HOLMES
Woodside, Great Corby
Carlisle CA4 8LL